General Idea
Hypotheses
Main conclusions:
- The bivariate correlation of symbolic ideology with affective ambivalence is negative, which supports the Jost-perspective.
- The bivariate correlation of political interest with affective ambivalence is negative, which supports the idea that elaborating on a topic tends to deacrease ambivalence.
- Measures of psychological needs (open_cons as a measure of needs for security and certainty) and cognitive style (nfc_M) are very weakly correlated with affective ambivalence and there is also no evidence for a u-shaped association.
- The measure of needs for security and certainty (open_cons) is more strongly correlated with symbolic ideology than the measure of need for cognitive closure (nfc_M).
- Political interest drops at the middle category of symbolic ideology creating a u-shaped pattern.
- No evidence for an inversely u-shaped association of political interest with affective ambivalence.
- The inversely u-shaped association of symbolic ideology with affective ambivalence holds when controlling for political interest.
- The inversely u-shaped association of ideology with affective ambivalence can be observed for economic and social ideology.
- Once the U-shaped association between general attitude and ambivalence is acconted for, there is no evidence for an association of ideology with ambivalence any more.
Ideas/Questions:
- Does it make sense to control the global attitude while testing for the ideology-ambivalence link?
- Include campaign interest to build a compisite score for political interest.
Explore correlations
##
## Correlation method: 'pearson'
## Missing treated using: 'pairwise.complete.obs'
Wave 4
| symb_id_w4 |
NA |
0.1465046 |
0.0786502 |
-0.0740616 |
-0.0665105 |
-0.0796847 |
-0.0826058 |
| open_cons |
0.1465046 |
NA |
0.3832139 |
-0.1068767 |
-0.0244760 |
-0.0097061 |
-0.0199300 |
| nfc_M |
0.0786502 |
0.3832139 |
NA |
-0.0670255 |
-0.0282233 |
-0.0122005 |
-0.0227356 |
| pol_int_w4 |
-0.0740616 |
-0.1068767 |
-0.0670255 |
NA |
-0.0797389 |
-0.1138886 |
-0.1120108 |
| Merkel_amb_w4 |
-0.0665105 |
-0.0244760 |
-0.0282233 |
-0.0797389 |
NA |
0.4683591 |
0.8722972 |
| Schulz_amb_w4 |
-0.0796847 |
-0.0097061 |
-0.0122005 |
-0.1138886 |
0.4683591 |
NA |
0.8460049 |
| mean_amb_w4 |
-0.0826058 |
-0.0199300 |
-0.0227356 |
-0.1120108 |
0.8722972 |
0.8460049 |
NA |
##
## Correlation method: 'pearson'
## Missing treated using: 'pairwise.complete.obs'
Wave 6
| symb_id_w6 |
NA |
0.1512384 |
0.0794083 |
-0.0537975 |
-0.1001022 |
-0.0863655 |
-0.1085498 |
| open_cons |
0.1512384 |
NA |
0.3832139 |
-0.0996671 |
-0.0259161 |
-0.0102304 |
-0.0216856 |
| nfc_M |
0.0794083 |
0.3832139 |
NA |
-0.0693905 |
-0.0309360 |
-0.0100961 |
-0.0241923 |
| pol_int_w6 |
-0.0537975 |
-0.0996671 |
-0.0693905 |
NA |
-0.0790483 |
-0.1021481 |
-0.1060417 |
| Merkel_amb_w6 |
-0.1001022 |
-0.0259161 |
-0.0309360 |
-0.0790483 |
NA |
0.4574905 |
0.8669063 |
| Schulz_amb_w6 |
-0.0863655 |
-0.0102304 |
-0.0100961 |
-0.1021481 |
0.4574905 |
NA |
0.8423697 |
| mean_amb_w6 |
-0.1085498 |
-0.0216856 |
-0.0241923 |
-0.1060417 |
0.8669063 |
0.8423697 |
NA |
U-shape: Symbolic ideology & affective ambivalence
Analytic approach:
Inversely u-shaped associations of variables with affective ambivalence could be tested using the following approaches:
- Two lines test
- Polynomial regression
- Lonlinear moderation of the association of positive and negative affect
Wave 4
Average ambivalence
Two lines test
Polynomial regression
| Model 1 | Model 2 | Model 3 | Model 4 |
| (Intercept) | 0.37 *** | (0.00) | 0.30 *** | (0.01) | 0.44 *** | (0.01) | 0.38 *** | (0.01) |
| rescale(symb_id_w4) | -0.08 *** | (0.01) | 0.29 *** | (0.03) | -0.09 *** | (0.01) | 0.25 *** | (0.03) |
| I(rescale(symb_id_w4)^2) | | | -0.40 *** | (0.03) | | | -0.36 *** | (0.03) |
| gendfemale | | | | | 0.01 | (0.00) | 0.00 | (0.00) |
| age | | | | | -0.00 *** | (0.00) | -0.00 *** | (0.00) |
| edumedium | | | | | 0.01 | (0.01) | 0.01 | (0.01) |
| eduhigh | | | | | 0.00 | (0.01) | 0.00 | (0.01) |
| inc | | | | | 0.00 | (0.00) | -0.00 | (0.00) |
| regionWest Germany | | | | | 0.01 | (0.01) | 0.01 | (0.01) |
| N | 10081 | | 10081 | | 9777 | | 9777 | |
| R2 | 0.01 | | 0.02 | | 0.02 | | 0.03 | |
| *** p < 0.001; ** p < 0.01; * p < 0.05. |
Merkel
Two lines test
Polynomial regression
| Model 1 | Model 2 | Model 3 | Model 4 |
| (Intercept) | 0.36 *** | (0.01) | 0.29 *** | (0.01) | 0.42 *** | (0.01) | 0.35 *** | (0.02) |
| rescale(symb_id_w4) | -0.08 *** | (0.01) | 0.30 *** | (0.04) | -0.08 *** | (0.01) | 0.26 *** | (0.04) |
| I(rescale(symb_id_w4)^2) | | | -0.41 *** | (0.04) | | | -0.37 *** | (0.04) |
| gendfemale | | | | | 0.00 | (0.01) | 0.00 | (0.01) |
| age | | | | | -0.00 *** | (0.00) | -0.00 *** | (0.00) |
| edumedium | | | | | 0.02 ** | (0.01) | 0.02 ** | (0.01) |
| eduhigh | | | | | 0.02 * | (0.01) | 0.02 * | (0.01) |
| inc | | | | | 0.00 | (0.00) | 0.00 | (0.00) |
| regionWest Germany | | | | | 0.01 | (0.01) | 0.00 | (0.01) |
| N | 10048 | | 10048 | | 9745 | | 9745 | |
| R2 | 0.00 | | 0.02 | | 0.02 | | 0.02 | |
| *** p < 0.001; ** p < 0.01; * p < 0.05. |
Schulz
Two lines test
Polynomial regression
| Model 1 | Model 2 | Model 3 | Model 4 |
| (Intercept) | 0.38 *** | (0.01) | 0.31 *** | (0.01) | 0.46 *** | (0.01) | 0.40 *** | (0.02) |
| rescale(symb_id_w4) | -0.09 *** | (0.01) | 0.28 *** | (0.04) | -0.09 *** | (0.01) | 0.24 *** | (0.04) |
| I(rescale(symb_id_w4)^2) | | | -0.40 *** | (0.04) | | | -0.36 *** | (0.04) |
| gendfemale | | | | | 0.01 * | (0.00) | 0.01 | (0.00) |
| age | | | | | -0.00 *** | (0.00) | -0.00 *** | (0.00) |
| edumedium | | | | | -0.00 | (0.01) | -0.00 | (0.01) |
| eduhigh | | | | | -0.01 | (0.01) | -0.01 | (0.01) |
| inc | | | | | -0.00 | (0.00) | -0.00 | (0.00) |
| regionWest Germany | | | | | 0.01 * | (0.01) | 0.01 * | (0.01) |
| N | 9833 | | 9833 | | 9535 | | 9535 | |
| R2 | 0.01 | | 0.02 | | 0.02 | | 0.03 | |
| *** p < 0.001; ** p < 0.01; * p < 0.05. |
Wave 6
Average ambivalence
Two lines test
Polynomial regression
| Model 1 | Model 2 | Model 3 | Model 4 |
| (Intercept) | 0.37 *** | (0.00) | 0.31 *** | (0.01) | 0.44 *** | (0.01) | 0.38 *** | (0.01) |
| rescale(symb_id_w6) | -0.10 *** | (0.01) | 0.26 *** | (0.03) | -0.11 *** | (0.01) | 0.22 *** | (0.03) |
| I(rescale(symb_id_w6)^2) | | | -0.39 *** | (0.03) | | | -0.35 *** | (0.03) |
| gendfemale | | | | | 0.00 | (0.00) | -0.00 | (0.00) |
| age | | | | | -0.00 *** | (0.00) | -0.00 *** | (0.00) |
| edumedium | | | | | 0.01 ** | (0.01) | 0.01 ** | (0.01) |
| eduhigh | | | | | 0.01 | (0.01) | 0.01 | (0.01) |
| inc | | | | | 0.00 | (0.00) | 0.00 | (0.00) |
| regionWest Germany | | | | | 0.01 | (0.00) | 0.01 | (0.00) |
| N | 12005 | | 12005 | | 11710 | | 11710 | |
| R2 | 0.01 | | 0.03 | | 0.03 | | 0.04 | |
| *** p < 0.001; ** p < 0.01; * p < 0.05. |
Merkel
Two lines test
Polynomial regression
| Model 1 | Model 2 | Model 3 | Model 4 |
| (Intercept) | 0.37 *** | (0.01) | 0.30 *** | (0.01) | 0.43 *** | (0.01) | 0.36 *** | (0.01) |
| rescale(symb_id_w6) | -0.12 *** | (0.01) | 0.30 *** | (0.03) | -0.12 *** | (0.01) | 0.26 *** | (0.03) |
| I(rescale(symb_id_w6)^2) | | | -0.45 *** | (0.04) | | | -0.41 *** | (0.04) |
| gendfemale | | | | | -0.00 | (0.00) | -0.01 | (0.00) |
| age | | | | | -0.00 *** | (0.00) | -0.00 *** | (0.00) |
| edumedium | | | | | 0.03 *** | (0.01) | 0.02 *** | (0.01) |
| eduhigh | | | | | 0.02 *** | (0.01) | 0.02 *** | (0.01) |
| inc | | | | | 0.00 * | (0.00) | 0.00 | (0.00) |
| regionWest Germany | | | | | 0.00 | (0.01) | 0.00 | (0.01) |
| N | 11976 | | 11976 | | 11681 | | 11681 | |
| R2 | 0.01 | | 0.02 | | 0.02 | | 0.04 | |
| *** p < 0.001; ** p < 0.01; * p < 0.05. |
Schulz
Two lines test
Polynomial regression
| Model 1 | Model 2 | Model 3 | Model 4 |
| (Intercept) | 0.38 *** | (0.01) | 0.32 *** | (0.01) | 0.45 *** | (0.01) | 0.40 *** | (0.01) |
| rescale(symb_id_w6) | -0.09 *** | (0.01) | 0.21 *** | (0.03) | -0.10 *** | (0.01) | 0.17 *** | (0.03) |
| I(rescale(symb_id_w6)^2) | | | -0.33 *** | (0.03) | | | -0.29 *** | (0.03) |
| gendfemale | | | | | 0.00 | (0.00) | 0.00 | (0.00) |
| age | | | | | -0.00 *** | (0.00) | -0.00 *** | (0.00) |
| edumedium | | | | | 0.00 | (0.01) | 0.00 | (0.01) |
| eduhigh | | | | | -0.00 | (0.01) | -0.00 | (0.01) |
| inc | | | | | -0.00 | (0.00) | -0.00 | (0.00) |
| regionWest Germany | | | | | 0.01 ** | (0.01) | 0.01 * | (0.01) |
| N | 11900 | | 11900 | | 11605 | | 11605 | |
| R2 | 0.01 | | 0.02 | | 0.02 | | 0.03 | |
| *** p < 0.001; ** p < 0.01; * p < 0.05. |
U-shape: Symbolic ideology & Need for Closure
Wave 4
Two lines test
Wave 6
Two lines test
U-shape: Symbolic ideology & Needs for Security and Certainty
Wave 4
Two lines test
Wave 6
Two lines test
U-shape: Symbolic ideology & Political Interest
Wave 4
Two lines test
Wave 6
Two lines test
U-shape: Affective Ambivalence & Political Interest
Wave 4
Average ambivalence
Two lines test
Merkel
Schulz
Investigating the U-shaped link of ideology with ambivalence for different ideology-dimensions
Wave 4
Average ambivalence
Two lines test
Economic Ideology
Social Ideology
Wave 6
Average ambivalence
Two lines test
Economic Ideology
Social Ideology
Does the U-shaped link of ideology with ambivalence hold when controlling for political interest (linear)
Wave 4
Average ambivalence
Two lines test
Merkel
Two lines test
Schulz
Two lines test
Wave 6
Average ambivalence
Two lines test
Merkel
Two lines test
Schulz
Two lines test
Investigate association of general attitude with ambivalence
Wave 4
Merkel
Two lines test
Schulz
Two lines test
Wave 6
Merkel
Two lines test
Schulz
Two lines test
Investigate association of symbolic ideology with general attitude
Wave 4
Merkel
Two lines test
Schulz
Two lines test
Wave 6
Merkel
Two lines test
Schulz
Two lines test
Does the U-shaped link of ideology with ambivalence hold when controlling for general attitudes overall (linear and quadratic)
Wave 4
Merkel
Two lines test
Schulz
Two lines test
Wave 6
Average ambivalence
Merkel
Two lines test
Schulz
Two lines test
Does the U-shaped link of ideology with ambivalence hold when controlling for general attitudes as a predictor of ambivalence (linear and quadratic)
Wave 6
Merkel
Two Lines Test
Polynomial Regression
| Model 1 | Model 2 | Model 3 |
| (Intercept) | 0.08 *** | (0.00) | 0.30 *** | (0.01) | 0.09 *** | (0.01) |
| rescale(Merkel_att_w6) | 1.54 *** | (0.02) | | | 1.55 *** | (0.02) |
| I(rescale(Merkel_att_w6)^2) | -1.44 *** | (0.02) | | | -1.44 *** | (0.02) |
| rescale(symb_id_w6) | | | 0.30 *** | (0.03) | -0.04 | (0.03) |
| I(rescale(symb_id_w6)^2) | | | -0.45 *** | (0.04) | 0.02 | (0.03) |
| N | 13150 | | 11976 | | 11944 | |
| R2 | 0.35 | | 0.02 | | 0.35 | |
| *** p < 0.001; ** p < 0.01; * p < 0.05. |
Schulz
Two Lines Test
Does ambivalence predict the stability of attitudes?
##
## Correlation method: 'pearson'
## Missing treated using: 'pairwise.complete.obs'
Merkel
| Merkel_att_sd_total |
NA |
0.9322407 |
0.3321169 |
0.3096676 |
| Merkel_att_sd_pre |
0.9322407 |
NA |
0.3162147 |
0.2930786 |
| Merkel_amb_w4 |
0.3321169 |
0.3162147 |
NA |
0.5528696 |
| Merkel_amb_w6 |
0.3096676 |
0.2930786 |
0.5528696 |
NA |
##
## Correlation method: 'pearson'
## Missing treated using: 'pairwise.complete.obs'
Schulz
| Schulz_att_sd_total |
NA |
0.7997439 |
0.1339838 |
0.1206306 |
| Schulz_att_sd_pre |
0.7997439 |
NA |
0.1055550 |
0.0951745 |
| Schulz_amb_w4 |
0.1339838 |
0.1055550 |
NA |
0.4938084 |
| Schulz_amb_w6 |
0.1206306 |
0.0951745 |
0.4938084 |
NA |
